FONTANA, CA — In the early morning hours of August 11, 2025, San Bernardino County Fire units from Fontana responded to the 16500 block of Athol Street for a report of a patient in cardiac arrest. Crews arrived on scene and located one resident in bed who was unconscious and unresponsive, but not in cardiac arrest.
While treating the initial patient, firefighters discovered additional residents inside the apartment displaying symptoms including unresponsiveness, vomiting, weakness, and altered levels of consciousness. Recognizing a potential hazardous environment, crews immediately evacuated the unit and requested San Bernardino County Fire’s Hazardous Materials (HazMat) team to respond for air monitoring and identification of the source.
Firefighters triaged, treated, and coordinated the transport of all six residents, ranging in age from 5 to 64 years old, to area hospitals. All transports were completed by AMR. Conditions among the patients varied from stable to critical.
With the assistance of the Fontana Police Department, adjacent units were also evacuated as a precaution. A representative from the Southern California Gas Company responded to assist with the investigation. HazMat air monitoring revealed dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) within the apartment. The exact source of the CO remains under investigation by the gas company.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly. San Bernardino County Fire reminds all residents of the importance of installing and maintaining working carbon monoxide detectors in their homes to help prevent tragedies.
Date/Time: August 11, 2025 at 3:49 a.m.
Incident: Multiple Casualty Hazardous Materials Response
Location: 16500 block of Athol Street, Fontana
Contact: Christopher Prater, Public Information Officer, cprater@sbcfire.org